Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF)

What is the Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS -SF)?

Inevitably, life is full of ups and downs, and the human experience is often marked by uncomfortable or unpleasant emotions. Self-compassion offers a pathway to navigate these challenges by fostering self-kindness, mindfulness, and an acceptance that adversity is an inevitable part of life (Houston, 2019).

The Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF) is a psychological assessment that is valid and theoretically coherent to measure self-compassion (Maya et al., 2024). It is a shortened version of the original Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), providing a more concise yet effective means of measuring the key components of self-compassion.

The scale consists of 12 items, which are categorized into six subscales that reflect different aspects of self-compassion:

• Self-kindness
• Judgment
• Common humanity
• Isolation
• Mindfulness
• Over-identification

Research has shown that individuals with higher levels of self-compassion tend to experience better mental health outcomes, including lower levels of anxiety and depression, as well as increased happiness and emotional resilience (Raes et al., 2011). The SCS-SF provides a reliable, efficient measure of these dimensions, making it a valuable tool for both clinical and research settings. By assessing the various facets of self-compassion, the scale helps to better understand how people relate to themselves during challenging times and offers insight into potential areas for emotional growth.

How to use our Self-Compassion Scale Short Form template

Using the SCS-SF is a simple and straightforward process. Follow these steps to get started:

1. Step 1: Download the template

Access the Self-Compassion Scale Short Form template by clicking "Use template", allowing you to edit the resource via the Carepatron app. For a PDF copy, choose "Download."

Step 2: Familiarize yourself with the template

The template is designed to guide you through the SCS-SF template. It includes space for essential patient information, such as name and date. The template follows the standard SCS-SF questionnaire, composed of 12 items, each relating to one of the two subscales.

Step 3: Ask the patient to complete

Give the template to the patient to complete. Ensure that they fill out their personal details. Before patient completion, emphasize that there is no right or wrong answer; rather, it is about understanding their authentic answers.

Explain that it is crucial to provide honest answers in order to attain an accurate result. Be sure to guide the individual through the template, helping them with questions if necessary whilst ensuring not to suggest any answers.

Step 4: Score their answers

Calculate the individual's score by following the instructions included in the template. You can also use the guide below.

Scoring

The SCS-SF consists of 12 items, each rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 ("almost never") to 5 ("almost always"). To ensure the most accurate results, it is important that all questions are answered to the best of the individual’s ability. Below are the items corresponding to each of the six subscales:

• Self-kindness: Items 2, 6
• Self-judgment: Items 11, 12
• Common humanity: Items 5, 10
• Isolation: Items 4, 8
• Mindfulness: Items 3, 7
• Over-identification: Items 1, 9

To calculate the score for each subscale, take the mean of the items associated with that subscale. It’s important to note that for the self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification subscales, the responses are reverse-scored.

To calculate the overall self-compassion score, find the mean for each subscale and then calculate the average of these subscale means. A higher overall score indicates a higher level of self-compassion.

While there are no established clinical norms for high or low self-compassion scores, they are typically used in a comparative manner to assess changes or differences in self-compassion levels across individuals or groups (Raes et al., 2011). This scoring method allows for a nuanced understanding of self-compassion and can help guide therapeutic or educational interventions.

Next steps after using the SCS-SF

After administering the Self-Compassion Scale Short Form, the next steps involve carefully reviewing and analyzing the results to guide interventions and provide insights into the patient's emotional well-being. This process helps to understand the individual's level of self-compassion, which is an important factor in mental health and overall psychological functioning.

Review and analyze responses

The first step is to review the patient’s total score, which provides a general indication of their level of self-compassion. As mentioned earlier, higher scores suggest greater self-compassion. It is also important to analyze the scores for each of the six subscales to identify specific patterns and trends.  By assessing each subscale individually, it is possible to gain deeper insight into areas of strength and those that may require further attention.

Discuss results with the patient

Following the analysis, it is essential to have a sensitive, nonjudgmental conversation with the patient about the results. In social and clinical psychology, professionals often approach this discussion with empathy and openness, creating a safe space for the patient to reflect on their emotional responses. It’s crucial to consider the broader social determinants of the individual’s life, such as their background, experiences, and challenges, when interpreting the results.

Self-compassion is a powerful tool in promoting emotional resilience, and the SCS-SF can be used in conjunction with other psychological assessments to support positive psychology interventions. These interventions can help encourage a healthy mindset, a compassionate attitude toward oneself, and improved psychological functioning. Since self-compassion plays a key role in the mindfulness-happiness relationship (Hollis & Colosimo, 2011), mindfulness-based programs, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction or the mindful self-compassion program, can be effective in fostering self-compassion and addressing issues like self-criticism.

Using the SCS-SF in treatment

You may administer the SCS-SF repeatedly over the course of treatment to track changes in self-compassion over time. This can provide valuable feedback on the effectiveness of interventions and help guide further therapeutic decisions (Raes et al., 2011). Regular assessments allow you to refine treatment strategies and offer tailored support, promoting ongoing growth and emotional well-being for the patient.

References

Hollis-Walker, L., & Colosimo, K. (2011). Mindfulness, self-compassion, and happiness in non-meditators: A theoretical and empirical examination. Personality and Individual differences, 50(2), 222-227.

Houston, E. (2019, July 3). The Self-Compassion Scale and test (Incl. PDF). PositivePsychology. https://positivepsychology.com/self-compassion-scale/

Maya, J., Arcos-Romero, A. I., Rodríguez-Carrasco, C. R., & Hidalgo, V. (2024). Psychometric properties of Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF) in Spanish adolescents. Heliyon, 10(16), e36331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36331

Neff, K. D., & Vonk, R. (2009). Self-compassion versus global self-esteem: two different ways of relating to oneself. Journal of personality, 77(1), 23–50. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2008.00537.x

Raes, F., Pommier, E., Neff, K. D., & Van Gucht, D. (2011). Construction and factorial validation of a short form of the Self-Compassion Scale. Clinical psychology & psychotherapy, 18(3), 250–255. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.702